Staple driving machine



F. POLZER STAPLE DRIVING MACHINE May 17, 1938.

Filed April 27, '1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORN EYs May17,1938. F ZER I 2,117,742

STAPLE DRIVING MACHINE Filed April 27, 1935 2 SheetsSheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAPLE DRIVING MACHINE Application April 27, 1935, Serial No. 18,614

10 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in staple driving machines. An object of the invention is to provide a staple driving machine which will not become clogged by staples the crowns or legs or both of which are crooked or out of proper alignment, but which will properly align and drive such staples through the machine substantially as though they were straight or normal staples.

: Another object is to provide a staple driving machine as indicated and which may be either in the form of a stapler or a tacker, and if the former, of either the desk or plier type.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and. the scope of the appended claims.

. In the drawings:

2 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, showing a desk type stapler constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lower portion of the head of the machine;

30 Fig. 3 is a plan view showing typical crooked crown staples or staples in which the crown or top bar is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the staple strip and the staple guide bar;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view showing typical crooked leg staples or staples in which the prongs or legs are inclined from the normal vertical position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, with the staple driver 40 or plunger of the machine raised and showing the machine loaded with staples the legs of which are bent or inclined backward;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the driver or plunger partially lowered and driv- 5 ing a staple;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the driver lowered further;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 but on an enlarged scale and with parts in section;

50 Fig. 9 is a view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 2 and showing the plunger raised and showing the machine loaded with staples the legs of which are bent or inclined forward;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing 55 the driver partially lowered;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the forward portion of the staple guide bar;

Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line I3--l3 of Fig. l but 5 with the strip of staples omitted;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the head portion of the machine, the view being taken substantially along the line 14-14 of Fig. 1; 10

Fig. 15 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 13 but with the machine housing omitted and suggesting the manner in which a crooked or laterally inclined crown .staple is taken care of by the machine; 5

Fig. 16 is an enlarged side elevational view of the lower portion of the head of the machine in one form where it is not provided with clearance slots; and

Fig. 17 is a similar view but showing a machine 20 provided on each side with a clearance slot.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in Fig. l is shown a complete desk type stapler constructed according to the present invention, although it is to be understood that the features of the invention are equally applicable to a plier type stapler and to any form of staple driving machine. The machine shown includes a base H to the rear portion of which is pivotally attached the rear portion of a housing I2 as by a pivot 13. The forward portion of the housing comprises a head having a raceway 15 therein and through which staples are to be driven one at a time by a plunger I6 to which the driving stroke is imparted by pressing on a hand piece I1 and the plunger is returned to its raised or normal position by a spring 14 in the usual manner. The plunger forces the prongs of the staple through the work on the under side of which they are clinched by an anvil 10 on the base I I, in a well known manner. In a tacker the prongs are not clinched but are merely driven through the work into the material to which it is to be secured, as for example a tag to a box. 7

A guide bar l8 extends through the housing I2 from the rear end thereof, and the forward end of such guide bar defines the inner or rear side of the raceway l5 while a front plate or block I9 defines the outer or forward side of such raceway. The staples 20 to be fed one at a time into the raceway 15 are usually arranged in strips connected together by a suitable adhesive, and a strip of such staples is disposed on the guide bar l8 in position straddling the same. They are fed forwardly along the guide bar by means of closed only for the purpose of making clear themanner in which the features of the present invention are or may be incorporated in any type of stapling machine. 7

The staple driving machines now generally in use are likely to become clogged on any attempt to use in them staples having crowns or legs inclined or shifted out of their straight or vertical positions respectively. With a machine constructed according to the present invention staples having crooked crowns or legs, Within limits, may be driven in the usual or substantially the usual manner. That is, the present machine will drive staples the crowns of which are crooked or laterally inclined to the axis of the guide bar, or the legs of which are bent or inclined forwardly or rearwardly, or which have both crooked or inclined crowns and legs, In machines prior to the present invention if the staples are not absolutely straight or normal the machines are likely to become clogged. With the present machine if the staples are inclined slightly they may be used without difficulty and in the usual manner without any special action or consideration on the part of the operator.

Fig. 3 shows in plan a series of or portion of a strip of crooked or laterally inclined crown staples and the showing in this figure is typical of such staples. The crowns of the staples are designated a and in the figure the broken lines indicate the center lines of the staple crowns of straight staples, and it will be noted that the crowns 20a of the illustrated staples instead of having their center lines parallel with the broken lines 25 actually cross such lines or are inclined thereto. Fig. 4 shows in elevation a series or portion of a strip of staples the legs of which are crooked or inclined from their normal upright position. In this figure the staples have their legs 20b bent or inclined forwardly while their legs 200 are bent or inclined rearwardly, and the broken lines 26 indicate what would be the center lines of the staple legs if they were straight. The present machine iscapable of driving the staples of Figs. 3 and 4 without any particular care on the part of the operator, the device automatically straightening the position of the individual staples before they are driven into the work.

In staple driving machines the raceway I5 is only of sufficient width to receive one staple at a time, and in such machines as heretofore constructed a staple having a crooked or laterally inclined crown such as illustrated in Fig. 3 could not enter the raceway since its foremost end portion on' entering the raceway would engage the front'plate l9, defining the forward side of the raceway, and further forward movement of the staple would be prevented. That is, the crown of the staple'would be left in a position diagonally of the raceway with a portion in the raceway and the remainder lying on top of the guide bar l8 and on the plunger I6 being depressed the staple would be sheared or bent out of shape and would wedge in the raceway. This would cause clog ng of the machine.

According to the present invention the guide bar i 8 has its upper forward edge beveled back from its forward end or face in opposite directions from its center as ShOWn by the bevels 21 particularly illustrated in Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 15. With the upper forward edge of the guide bar beveled back in opposite directions from its center as shown a staple having a crooked or inclined crown 20a will move into position as shown best in Fig. 15. That is, one end portion of the crown of the staple will be entirely in the raceway and the other end portion of the staple crown will be on one of the bevels 21. Therefore, as the plunger is depressed that portion of the staple crown which is on one of the bevels 2'! will be cammed forwardly into the raceway so that the staple crown will be shifted to its straight transverse position and correctly positioned beneath theplunger.

While the portion of the staple crown lying on one of the bevels 21 is being cammed forwardly as stated the other portion of the staple crown will be hearing against the inner face of the plate or block i9 forming the front wall of the raceway l5, and so the staple can only move in a manner to straighten its crown in the raceway. Although Fig. 15 shows a staple the crown of which is crooked or inclined in one direction it will be apparent that if the staple crown was crooked in the opposite direction its portion which is shown in the raceway would be over the lower bevel of Fig. 15 and its portion which is shown over the upper bevel of Fig. 15 would be in the raceway. Therefore, it would be apparent that when the guide bar i8 has. its upper forward edge beveled back in opposite directions from its center the machine may be used to drive staples the crowns of which are, within limits, crooked or inclined in either direction.

The front plate or block is substantially midway between its vertical edges and in its inner face is provided with a vertically extending kerf or slot 23. This plate or block is by means of rivets 29 clamped between side plates 30 and such plates by means of a screw 3| are secured to the housing I2, whereby the plate I9 is held in position spaced from the forward end of the guide bar 18 so as to therewith define the raceway i5. The side walls of the housing are provided with recesses I ie in which the plates 30 are seated. Located in the slot 28 and pivotally mounted as by a pin or rivet 32 is a finger or dog 33. Such finger or dog (see particularly Fig. 8) includes an elongated depending body portion 34 and an upper head-like portion 35 and the arrangement of parts is such that the first staple on the guide bar is always being pressed against the inner or rearward edge of the head portion 35 of the finger 33 as shown in Fig. 9, the pivot 32 being below the top of the guide bar i 8. When the plunger it is operated it engages the crown of the staple in the raceway and drives it downwardly through the raceway, and during such movement of the staple its crown is against the rear or inner edge of the body portion 34 of the finger 33.

Fig. 5 shows the finger 33 in its normal position and in such figure it will be noted that the staple which is in the raceway has its crown bearing against the inner edge of the head portion 35 of such finger and that the body portion 34 0f the finger is extending across the raceway l5. The finger is held in this position due to the fact that staples 20 are being forced forwardly along the guide bar by the spring Z I acting through the follower 22.

On the plunger I6 being depressed the foremost staple is carried downwardly in the raceway as suggested in Fig. 6 and Fig. 8, and its crown engages the inner edge of' the body portion 34 er the finger 33 rocking such finger about its pivot 32 from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 8. As the finger so rocks its head portion 35 is shifted in a direction tending to force the staples on the bar I8 rearwardly against the action of the spring 2|. In this way a second staple is prevented from entering the raceway until the first staple entering it has been driven out. According to the present invention the finger 33 functions as above in connection with any staple, and in connection with a staple having rearwardly bent or inclined legs performs an additional function now to be described.

To adapt the machine for driving staples the legs of which are bent or inclined rearwardly as in Figs. 5 through 8 the lower cross portion or wall 36 of the block I9 and the forward portion of the side ribs lBa on opposite sides of guide bar 18 are cut away as at 3! providing clearance rearwardly of the side portions of the lower end of the raceway and at opposite sides of the lower forward end of the guide bar I8. With this construction as the plunger l6 descends it engages the crown of the first staple of the strip and depresses such staple from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6 or into the dotted line position 20d of Fig. 8. As the plunger continues to descend the crown of the staple being driven engages the inner edge of the body portion 34 of the finger 33, and as the staple moves downwardly in the raceway the frictional engagement of its crown with the finger 34 tends to rock the staple in a direction to carry its legs toward the front plate I9 as suggested by the dotted line position 20 in Fig. 8. As the downward movement of the staple continues it is rocked intothe straight full line position 209 of Fig. 8 from which position it is driven in the usual manner. It will be noted that owing to the clearance space 31 located rearwardly of the lower end of the sides of the raceway the prongs of the staple may pass through the machine even. though the staple is not rocked sufliciently to bring it into the position 20g of Fig. 8. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the machine may be used to drive staples either or both of the legs of which are bent rearwardly and that staples which are thus not straight will not cause clogging of the machine.

This construction provides a transverse shoulder I811 (Figs. 12, l4, l6 and 17) on the under side of guide bar l8 to the rear of which the lower transverse wall 36 of block l9 extends and with which it cooperates to hold the block l9 in position and prevent its being forced forward under pressure created during the staple driving operation.

To adapt the machine for driving staples either or both legs of which are inclined forwardly the front plate IS in its inner face at each of its vertical edges is provided with a vertically extending groove or recess 38. These grooves or recesses 38 are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the legs of one of the staples 2|] so that they are in alignment therewith, and the bottom or inner wall 39 of each groove is curved outwardly or inclined to the inner face of the plate I9. The bottom walls 39 of the grooves meet the inner face of the plate H3 at a point below the lower ends of the legs of the stapleson the guide bar l8, as shown best in Figs. 9 and 10, and the grooves being spaced as above described the lower ends of forwardly inclined staple legs on the first staple 20c enter such grooves as clearly illustrated in Fig. 9.

If the plate 20 were not provided with the grooves 38 then a staple having forwardly bent legs ordinarily could not move off the guide bar l8 sufficiently to have its crown portion enter the raceway l5. However, in the disclosed construction the forwardly bent or inclined staple legs enter the. grooves 38 and the crown portion of the staple advances into the raceway. Therefore, with the construction described the machine may be used to drive staples the legs of which are inclined forwardly. This is true since when the forward staple of a strip advances to the position of the foremost staple in Fig. 9 its crown is under the plunger l6and on the plunger being depressed the curved or inclined bottom walls of the grooves direct or guide the staple legs outwardly into the raceway as pressure is applied to the staple by the plunger. Thus, the staple is moved to its proper position or aligned in the raceway as shown at 211e, Fig. 10 and may be driven therethrough in the usual manner.

From the foregoing description taken in con nection with the drawings it will be apparent that when a machine is construct-ed according to the present invention it may be used to drive straight staples or staples the crowns of which are crooked or the legs of which are bent or inclined forwardly or backwardly, and that the machine may be used to drive staples having inclined crowns and inclined legs, and that the machine may drive a staple even though one of its legs is inclined forwardly and the other backwardly. Of course, if a staple is inclined beyond certain limits it cannot be used in the machine although it is noted that usually if a strip of staples is bent the staples are only slightly out of normal and in such cases they may be used in the present machine without special care on the part of the operator.

In Fig. 17 the side plates 30 which carry the front plate l9 are provided with clearance openings or slots 40 arranged laterally or opening laterally of the lower portions of the vertical guide grooves 38. These openings provide an exit for broken staples and facilitate clearing of the raceway should staples become jammed therein.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a staple driving machine, a housing having a raceway therein, a plunger for driving staples through said raceway, a guide bar for guiding staples to said raceway and having its forward end forming a side of said raceway, and said guide bar having its upper forward edge beveled with the width of the bevel increasing from the center portion of the bar toward its longitudinal edges whereby staples coming to the raceway with their crowns laterally inclined are straightened as they are carried into the raceway by the plunger.

2. In a staple driving machine, a housing, spaced means defining opposite sides of a raceway in said housing, said housing having a passage along which staples move to enter said raceway, and one of said means having a portion beveled back from its face at the height of the crown of a staple entering the raceway with the width of the bevel increasing laterally from the center portion whereby staples coming to the raceway with their crowns laterally inclined are straightened as they are carried forward by the plunger.

3. In a staple driving machine, a housing, a staple guide bar in said housing, a front plate spaced from the forward end of the guide bar and therewith defining opposite sides of a raceway to which staples are guided by said guide bar, a plunger operable to drive staples through said raceway, said front plate having guide grooves in its inner face spaced apart as are the legs of a staple to receive the forwardly inclined legs of a staple and permit a staple having a forwardly inclined leg to enter the raceway, said grooves having their bottom walls inclined out to the face of the plate whereby to guide staple legs to driving positions, and said housing having clearance openings through its opposite side walls communicating with said raceway and said grooves laterally of the curved walls of said grooves of a size to carry broken staples from the raceway.

4. In a staple driving machine, a housing having a raceway therein, a guide bar for guiding staples to said raceway, a spring pressed follower urging staples along the guide bar to the raceway, a plunger operable to drive staples through the raceway, means pressed into the raceway by staples on the guide bar to frictionally engage the crown of a staple being driven through the raceway whereby there is a tendency of a staple being driven to rock in a direction to carry its legs toward the forward side of the raceway, and the walls being cut back at each side portion of the lower end of said raceway to provide clearance for rearwardly inclined legs of staples whereby staples having rearwardly inclined legs may be straightened in the raceway as they are advanced by the plunger.

5. In a staple driving machine, a housing, a staple guide bar in said housing, a front plate spaced from the forward end of the guide bar and therewith defining opposite sides of a raceway to which staples are fed along the guide bar, a plunger operable to drive staples through said raceway, said front plate having guide grooves in its inner face and having the bottom walls of said grooves inclined out to the inner face of the plate, and said guide bar having its upper forward edge beveled with the width of the bevel increasing from the center portion of the bar toward its longitudinal edges whereby staples coming to the raceway with forwardly inclined legs or laterally inclined crowns are straightened as they are advanced by the plunger.

6. In a staple driving machine, a housing, a member forming a staple guide bar in said housing, a member forming a front plate spaced from the forward end of the guide bar and therewith defining opposite sides of a raceway to which staples are fed along the guide bar, a plunger operable to drive staples through said raceway, said front plate having guide grooves in its inner face and having the bottom walls of said grooves inclined out to the inner face of the plate, and one of said members having a portion beveled back from its face at the height of the crown of a staple entering the raceway with the width of the bevel increasing from the center portion laterally whereby staples coming to the raceway with forwardly inclined legs or laterally inclined crowns are straightened in the raceway as they are advanced by the plunger,

7. In a staple driving machine, a housing having a raceway therein, a plunger for driving staples through said raceway, a guide bar for guiding staples to said raceway and having its forward end forming a side of said raceway, said guide bar having its upper forward edge beveled with the width of the bevel increasing from the center portion of the bar toward each of its longitudinal edges whereby staples coming to the raceway with laterally inclined crowns are straightened as they are carried into the raceway by the plunger, and spacing means at the lower part of the sides of the guide bar to provide clearance between the sides of the bar and the housing, said spacing means terminating short of the lower end of the raceway to permit passage of staples with rearwardly inclined legs.

8. In a staple driving machine, a housing, spaced means defining opposite sides of a raceway in said housing, said housing having a passage along which staples move to enter said raceway, one of said means having a portion beveled back from its face in opposite directions from its center at the height of the crown of a staple entering the raceway whereby staples coming to the raceway with laterally inclined crowns are straightened as they are carried into the raceway by the plunger, andthere being clearance spaces at the sides of the lower end of the raceway and extending backwardly from the raceway to permit passage of staples with rearwardly inclined legs.

9. In a staple driving machine, a, housing, a staple guide bar in said housing, a front plate spaced from the forward end of the guide bar and therewith defining opposite sides of a raceway to which staples are guided by said guide bar, a plunger operable to drive staples through said raceway, said front plate having guide grooves in its inner face spaced apart as are the legs of a staple and having their bottom walls inclined out to the inner face of the plate whereby staples with forwardly inclined legs are straightened in the raceway as they are advanced by the plunger, and there being clearance spaces at the sides of the guide bar at the lower end of the raceway and extending backwardly therefrom to permit passage of staples with rearwardly inclined legs.

10. In a staple driving machine, a housing, a staple guide bar extending into said housing, a front plate spaced from the forward end of the guide bar and therewith defining opposite sides of a raceway to which staples are fed along the guide bar, a plunger operable to drive staples through said raceway, said front plate having guide grooves in its inner face and having the bottom walls of said grooves inclined out to the inner face of the plate to guide forwardly inclined legs of a staple into the raceway as it is advanced by the plunger, said guide bar having its upper forward edge beveled back from its center portion toward its longitudinal edges whereby staples coming to the raceway with laterally inclined crowns are straightened as they are carried into the raceway by the plunger, and spacing means at the sides of the guide bar below the staples to provide clearance between the sides of the bar and the housing, said spacing means being spaced backwardly from the lower end of the raceway to permit passage of staples with rearwardly inclined legs.

FRIDOLIN POLZER. 

